Under the Highway Safety Code of Quebec, it is permitted and legal for a police officer to stop the driver of a vehicle who, at first sight, has committed no offence. An officer can ask a driver to pull over to check their driver’s licence, registration and proof of insurance, to verify that the vehicle is mechanically fit, or simply to verify that the driver is not impaired when certain conditions are met.

However, four conditions must be met in before the peace officer can stop a vehicle legally:

1)      The peace officer must be recognizable as such (uniform, etc.);

2)      The peace officer can only stop a vehicle while on duty;

3)      Only a road vehicle can be pulled over;

4)      The vehicle must be circulating on a public road.

Do not hesitate to call us if criminal charges are laid against you after being pulled over by a police officer. We can assess the lawfulness of the intervention and possibly contest it.